Gospel Family History

By Peter Gospel

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Harry and Sarah Mary Gospel: Or The Tale of Two Brides for Two brothers.

Harry Gospel was born on 15th May 1877 at Bugthorpe. He was the second child, and first son, born to William Gospel and Isabella (nee Jacobs). Harry's great grandfather was William Gospel of Bishop Wilton. Harry's father was a cordwainer and lived in the corner cottage as the lane from Garrowby enters Bugthorpe.

In 1901 he married Sarah Mary Tindale. Sarah had been born in Yapham cum Meltonby in the Parish of Pocklington but on the road to Bishop Wilton. Sarah had been in service at Bugthorpe Grange and had succumbed to the usual problem facing girls in service. She had fallen pregnant and was delivered of a boy in 1897 who she called Eric. She added other christian names to the boy's title. Florian and Slater were added to the name after Eric. We therefore had Eric Florian Slater Tindale. A check of the 1892 Bulmer's Directory shows the farmer at Bugthorpe Grange was called Joseph Slater and he had a son called Florian. Little doubt as to the purported father of the child then. Naughty Florian!!!

In 1901 Harry married Sarah, at Bugthorpe. Witnesses to the wedding were Harry's brother George, and Sarah's sister Annie Eliza Tindale. These two were to marry each other in 1907. Harry, of course, had to accept Eric into the family along with Sarah. Later evidence suggests this might have been reluctantly. Although not adopted formally, Eric added the name Gospel to his already lengthy name and he became Eric Florian Slater Tindale Gospel.

Harry and George had not followed their father into business as a shoemaker (cordwainer) but had entered the construction business. Harry and Sarah, together with young Eric moved into a cottage in Bishop Wilton. (Pictured here, now No. 70 Main Street)

There are to my knowledge several 'monuments' to Harry Gospel in the village. By this I mean building projects that he undertook and which are still standing. The large grey house just up towards the crossroads from the village hall [No. 1, Fisher’s] and the washhouse at the rear of the old vicarage are both Harry Gospel's work.

From within the walls of this small cottage they contrived, over the next 16 years, to produce another 10 children. Arthur (1902), Frank (1903), Harold (1905), Mary (1906), Eva May (1908), Bertha (1909), Wilfred (1912), Stanley (1914) Hilda (1915, known as Kitty), and Amy (1917). All were born at Bishop Wilton.

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